Walking around downtown, you often see city workers, picking up trash, “Keep Portland Clean and Safe” printed on their uniforms. And it’s true–the less grafitti and trash, the safer an area is. This Broken Windows theory extends to our ‘hood, too. If we keep it clean, we are sending the message to would-be criminals that this is not a good place to commit a crime. So, if you’re interested in a clean, safe Foster-Powell, help out by taking part in the neighborhood cleanup this weekend. Here’s the 411 from the reminder email from the NA:
Foster Powell & Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Associations’ Neighborhood Clean-up
Saturday May 1, 2010
9:00am–2:30pm
Arleta Elementary School
SE 66th Ave and Mitchell St.
WE ACCEPT/RECYCLE
• Yard Debris
• Bulky waste
• Mattresses
• Furniture
• Scrap wood
• Tires (off rim only)
• Any other large discards
• Bikes & bike parts
• Block foam
SORRY, WE CAN’T ACCEPT:
• Computers/Electronics/TVs
• Concrete
• Hazardous waste
• Household garbage
• Curbside recyclables
FEES
Car: $8
Pickup: $15-20
Large load: $20-25
EXTRA CHARGES
Tires w/out rims: $2
Roofing materials: $10
Appliances with freon: $15 ea.
PLEASE SORT LOAD ACCORDING TO ITEM TYPE
For more information, please contact (503)771-4432.
Special thanks to Metro, SE Uplift, City of Portland– Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. This event is a joint project of the Foster-Powell and the Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Associations.
We are still looking for volunteers for the Neighborhood Clean Up. Folks can volunteer all day or part of the day. Morning volunteers need to arrive at 8:30 AM for muffins, coffee and orientation. Afternoon volunteers need to plan to stay until 3:00 PM to help with clean up of the space. We will have sandwiches for lunch and volunteers get to unload for free.
Call 503-771-4432 to volunteer.
Let Jo Ann know what time you will arrive and how long you will stay.
Not exactly on topic, but our neighborhood is bordered by two of the most dangerous streets in Portland. Way too much carnage on both Foster and Powell! They are wide, fast and dark (at night.) Any brilliant ideas about how to make these death traps safer?
Hi Greg,I hadn’t heard about this. Do you have any more details on what happened? This would be an excellent topic to bring up at the Neighborhood Association meeting, which is next Monday, I believe.It’s scary out there. The Oregonian’s front page has a story about Trimet buses’ tendency to hit pedestrians when hitting left. The woman pictured on the front cover lost her leg to a bus this way. As for improving pedestrian safety on Foster and Powell: Powell is a state highway, so it’s a little harder to pass any proposals. A businessman has been visiting the Lents and FoPo NA meetings, hammering the idea that the weeds in the middle and sides of Powell need to be better cared for. Those tall plants make it hard for drivers to see pedestrians.I don’t have too much more information about Foster, but I do know that the proposed URAC beautification projects include improvements for crosswalks.I’m interested to see what our fellow neighbors think should be done to improve safety on these streets. We can chat/comment here… but Greg, if you’re passionate about this issue, I encourage you to write a separate story. Nothing fancy…
~C
Here are links for two recent incidents, the first from a few days ago, and the second from January. http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/05/driver_ http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/pedestrian_
Hi Greg, Thanks a bunch for posting those links. That’s really helpful. I will include them in a story later today about the Neighborhood Association meeting last night. The good news: Sounds like we could have a chance to actually get the Foster Streetscape funded! That would certainly improve traffic safety along Foster.